Sunday, July 30, 2006

I've made some changes in the appearance of the blog and added a section for subscribing to the free monthly newsletter. The beer and wine recipes have been updated along with a section on how to make your own wine. The how to make your own beer section currently points to another site, but I have plans to write a series on How to Make Beer. I have decided that I will post on Tuesdays and Thursday for at least the rest of this year and want to thank all of you that have stopped by.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Part 2 of the Series

TheMerlotgrape is a close cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon in many respects. It is lower in tannins and makes wines that mature faster and are softer in texture. Merlot is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in order to soften the blend. At its best, Merlot makes a wine that is dry, rich in flavor and smooth as it finishes in your throat. At its worst, Merlot makes wine that is dry but thin in taste and texture, and not very pleasant to consume. Most of what you will come across are likely to be of pretty good quality.

Merlot is able to mature in regions that are cooler than those required for Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is more susceptible to fungus and mold diseases and therefore a bit harder to grow. Merlot varies widely in quality around the world depending on location and producer. This variety was first known for its success in the Saint Emilion and Pomerol areas of Bordeaux. Chateau Petrus is the stellar example of fine Merlot.

Pinot Noir is one of the most difficult grapes to grow and make into fine wine. It is also one of the very best when it is done properly. It has very specific requirements for its growing conditions. It needs warm days and cool nights. If Pinot Noir receives too little heat in the growing season, its wines are thin and pale. If the growing season is too warm, the wines have an overripe, cooked flavor.

Pinot Noir produces a small crop. It has low amounts of tannin and relatively high acid levels for a red grape. Pinot Noir found its fame in the Burgundy region of France where it is the primary grape used for red wines. It is also a major component in the production of most fine quality Champagne and California sparkling wines. The state of Oregon in the United States appears to be an upcoming growing area with the right conditions for Pinot Noir. Some promising wines are also starting to come out of New Zealand. It is known as Spatburgunder in Germany where the cooler climate produces wines that are crisper and lighter than elsewhere.

Sangioveseis the primary grape used in Northern Italy in the region of Tuscany to make Chianti and also for Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese produces wines that are spicy, with good acid levels, smooth texture and medium body. In the right climates and with controlled yields, Sangiovese can be made into very structured and full bodied wines. It is usually blended with other grapes for best results and in northern Italy is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in the 'Super Tuscan' blends.

Sangiovese is experiencing increased interest and plantings in California and elsewhere. Because of its ability to create smoother wines with acid levels that pair well with many foods, a great deal of experimentation is taking place with it as a blending agent with several red varieties.

Syrah/Shirazthis grape is known as Syrah in France and Shiraz in Australia. In the United States, it can appear under either name depending on the style of the winery. The grape is thought to be named for a city in Persia (Shiraz) where it probably originated. It produces full rich wines of intense color and flavor. In warmer climates like Australia, the grape produces wines that are sweeter and riper tasting. In cooler climates like the Rhone valley of France, it often has more pepper and spice aromas and flavors. Syrah usually becomes drinkable at an early age and most are produced for consumption within a year after release (2rd year from harvest). On the other hand, there are Syrah/Shiraz examples of very long lived wines such as Hermitage in France and Penfold's Grange in Australia.

Syrah/Shiraz was brought into southern France by a returning crusader, Guy De'Sterimberg. He became a hermit and developed a vineyard on a steep hill where he lived where he lived in the Rhone River Valley. It became known as the Hermitage. The use of Syrah spread in the Rhone River Valley of France and it is now very important to the best wines of that region. It is often blended with Grenache and is an essential grape in the production of Chateauneuf du Pape.

In Australia, Shiraz has found a real home. The Shiraz grape is the most widely planted red grape variety in Australia where it is sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or occasionally with Mourvedre.

Whether in France, Australia or elsewhere, this grape has shown it can create some fabulous wines in the right conditions. It is important to find the right site for planting and to restrict the growth of the vine and its crop to achieve the best results.

Zinfandel is a grape variety that has been important almost exclusively in California. The Zinfandel grape can make solid red wines with good fruit and structure. It was a popular variety with home winemakers during the American prohibition era because its thick skins allowed the grapes to ship without damage. It later (late 1970's and early 1980's) became popular for the wines produced from it with forward fruit flavors and spicy overtones. Zinfandel declined in popularity in the mid 1980's and became unprofitable to grow until "White Zinfandel" was introduced. White Zinfandel is a Zinfandel rose that is left slightly sweet with an acid balance.

Recent DNA tests indicate that Zinfandel is actually the same as the Primitivo grape found in Italy.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I was browsing through my Bloglines account and found this article. Thought that it would be nice to share, since it catches the essence of homebrewing. That being making better beer. Of course that is why we make our own wine. To make better wine.

It only makes sense that the blogosphere is starting to buzz about beer in the same way it has about music.

"For 95 percent of people, it's 'gimme the Budweiser,'" said Jay Hinman, beerkeep at the Hedonist Beer Jive blog. "But for the 5 percent who are a little more intense about it, this will be a really cool resource."

If there's one thing that blogs do best, it's cater to niche markets. In the case of craft beer, however, niche is a bit of a misnomer  the industry moved almost 7 million barrels last year and generated $4.3 billion in retail sales, according to the Brewers Association. And that's just the 1,370 breweries operating in America. Throw in the international market and the 450 different kinds of Belgian beers, and this niche becomes an 11-digit industry.

Yet, compared to music and culture blogs, the lager-blogger movement is just a drop in the steinzeugkrug. As more sudspundits (yes, that's a site) take to the net, their opinions just might change the way some of us buy beer.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

This is a reprint from several months ago. There are 5 parts to this series and I'll be reposting one a week. That should take us up to about harvest time for grapes.

Part 1 of the Series

Aah, Spring is just around the corner (in my neck of the woods) and the grapevines will soon be sprouting. Being that I have a considerable amount of time on my hands (not allowed to go back to work unit next week), I can take the time to put together a mini-series about the different types of grapes that are used in making wine. I'll try and cover a large variety and try to include some from each region of the world.

Let's get started with some of the red grape varieties..

Barberais a wine grape that is most used in Italy. It has some of the flavor characteristics you would find in a Cabernet Sauvignon but with higher acid levels. The higher acid levels make it an especially good match for full flavored foods with tomato sauces involved. Other characteristics of wines from this variety include light tannin levels, deep garnet colors and medium to full body.

Barbera is grown in many places around the world but is at it's best in northern Italy. In Italy, it makes Barbera d'Asti, Barbera di Alba and Barbera di Monferato, among others. In warmer growing areas it develops high sugar levels and because of this, the alcohol levels in the wine can be too high. It's primary use around the world is as a blending agent to bring increased acidity to the final wine.

Cabernet Francis a wine grape that is often used in Bordeaux blends to add acidity and aroma. Cabernet Franc is usually used as a minor (10%-15%) component in a blend with other varieties. The only notable exception is at Chateau Cheval Blanc in Saint Emilion. Genetic research indicates that it is the parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. It makes wines that are lighter and fruitier than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet Sauvignonis the premier wine grape in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape in the Bordeaux region of France and has spread to every other major growing region. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape produces distinctive wines that are tannic and can have long aging potential. Average aging potential for Cabernet is 5 to 10 years in order to achieve peak flavor. It is usually blended with other varieties to make wines with increased complexity.

When you think of the finest red wines in the world, you often are thinking of wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is known in some parts of the world by other names including: Petit Cabernet, Sauvignon Rouge, and Vidure.

TheGamaygrape variety makes its best wines in the Beaujolais region of France. Because its wines tend to be light, low in alcohol, high in acidity and very fruity, there is small margin for error before it becomes too thin, too light or too acidic. The wines are generally meant to be consumed within two years of bottling. Only the Crus of Beaujolais show much aging potential and none of them extend beyond 10 years. Cherry flavors dominate the nose and taste of young Beaujolais.

A wine named Passe-Tout-Grains is produced in Burgundy and is a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Here are the steps needed to make wine using the universal wine recipe method. All the recipes are designed to make a 1 gallon batch. These recipes are great whenever you get dumped with a bunch of fruit from a friend or neighbor. I intended to post about 10 more of these recipes over the next few days and will include them in the wine recipe section at the end of the month.

1. Grab your primary fermenter, clean and sterilize it.

2. Prepare the fruit as indicated.

3. Mix all the ingredients, crushing the Campden tablets before adding them. Make sure that the sugar is dissolved. Cover and let it be for 1 day.

4. Add the yeast.

5. Cover and let ferment for about 4 - 7 days. Make sure that you stir twice a day to punch down the cap.

6. After the primary fermentation, strain, and place into a secondary fermenter. Rack as needed until the wine is clear.